Chapter 2
*Love.obscurers the mind*
*****
"If you could see me now
You would know just how
Hard I try
Not to wonder why"
*****
The summer passed way too quickly for Harry's liking, he hadn't heard from Hermione since that day she brewed the potion. it had worked fantastically, Lupin hadn't even needed to be locked up, plus, as he pointed out, it even tasted quite nice too.
Harry and Lupin were sat at platform nine and three quarters as the Hogwarts express pulled in. There were only a few people milling about the platform, which was probably because the train didn't depart for Hogwarts for another 2 hours.
Remus looked at Harry, and smiled weakly, Harry just beamed back at him, "Shall we go get some seats then, Harry." He asked. Harry just nodded and followed Remus to the train.
Harry thought for a moment about Remus, and couldn't help grinning; Sirius had been giving him a hard time about Hermione all summer. Harry couldn't help feeling that they made an excellent couple which when he pointed this out to Sirius he just spat the orange juice he had been drinking half way across the kitchen, and then burst into fits of laughter.
Lupin had been unusually quite for the rest of the Summer, and Harry knew better than to bring Hermione up now, so as they sat on the train, Harry got him talking about his school days and Harry's own parents.
*****Elsewhere*****
Hermione sat in the back of her parents' car on her way to kings cross; she stared out the window at the countryside moving past. She was brought back down to earth by a loud purr coming from the orange bundle in her lap.
She scowled out the window and thought about how much she wished she could just curl up instead of having to face Harry and Ron again. She rubbed her hand along Crookshanks back and decided she wasn't even going to think about it, she wasn't even going to bring it up. Pretend like it never happened she told herself, just pretend.
*****At kings cross*****
Hermione had kissed goodbye to her parents slinked through the barrier onto the platform and stood looking at the large scarlet train already in the platform, she had half an hour before it left so moved off to the toilets to change into her robes.
Looking into the mirror in the bath room, she sighed, "Hermione, you don't love him, it's just a little crush that's all, now come on. besides, he'd never want to love a girl like you. just forget about it." She tried to convince herself. "besides" she continued "there are expectations of you," she said as she pinned the head girl badge to her robes, a small smile creeping across her lips.
Grabbing her stuff she headed out to the train, before getting there she bumped into Harry, who seemed to have been going to the toilet as well. He smiled and offered to carry her trunk. Smiling back she handed it to him. She could tell that he was really trying his best to prevent that stupid grin. but she giggled to her self, he really was failing miserably.
They arrived at the train and he opened the door for her, by now the grin was in full flight, she walked passed him with a simple, "don't say anything" .
Once onboard Harry dumped her trunk with his and lead her to the rear most compartment on the train, they'd adopted the same one for the past few years and it was almost second nature to them.
Hermione opened the door, and let out a small squeak before slamming the door shut. Turning to Harry she brandished a fist, "is this some sort of a joke?" she demanded.
Harry lead her aside, and explained that Lupin was teaching at hogwarts again this year, and that he had come with himself, for the train.
Hermione sighed, "This is going to be a fun year," she announced exasperatedly, Harry's grin widened and there was a twinkle in his eye, "not like that," she snapped defensively, before taking a deep breath and walking into the compartment.
She smiled weakly at Remus, who just began to go red; Hermione sat at the opposite end to him and hoped that they'd soon be at Hogwarts. Harry sat next to Lupin and pointed something out to him; Remus looked shocked, adjusted himself and went back to looking out the window. Harry turned to Hermione who was also looking the other way, gave her a kick under the table to get her attention, and rolled his eyes. She shot him a glare and went back to staring out the window.
The compartment door slid open and in came Ron and Ginny. Ron paused as he eyed up Lupin and Hermione sat at opposite ends of the compartment, and scowled at Harry. Ginny blushed as she saw Harry's grin, and moved to sit next to Hermione.
"Budge up 'mione," she said, the twinkle in her eye as she knew she'd end up opposite Harry, she entered Hermione's bench in the cabin and Ron squeezed up next to her.
As Hermione was moving down to the end, she felt her leg catch that of professor Lupin's under the table, he looked up at her with his dark eyes, only this time they were filled with sorrow. She sat down quickly and turned to look out the window.
The rest of the journey went by quickly and uneventfully, Ron and Harry had explained to Ginny what was going on, as soon as Professor Lupin had fallen asleep, Hermione was bright red but did not divert her gaze from the window. Ginny had just giggled and went into a girly chat with Hermione which lasted for a short while, but little was disclosed due to present company.
*****Hogwarts-a few weeks later*****
Hermione soon realised that this was going to be very award, in DADA classes she worked hard, but did not draw attention to herself, she kept her head down and out the way, likewise he repaid the favour, by not asking her questions and they both avoided any eye contact.
And if they did catch each other's eyes, she simply smiled nicely and returned to her work. He would always just peer back at her seeming amazed before continuing with whatever it was he had been teaching his students.
Hermione would not hang around after the lessons with Harry and Ron, but instead leave quickly and go back to Gryffindor tower. Ron had finished with his disgusted ness once he realised that they weren't 'at it' any more as he had put it, and had quickly become friendly with Lupin again.
Only Harry seemed to be able to tell that there was something wrong, something that he kept hidden, but it defiantly bugged him.
* * * * *
One lesson Hermione found herself starring at the man she had tried so hard to avoid, she couldn't kid herself any longer, she had thought about him almost constantly since 'the event', as she had come to call it. It made her feel queasy and blush just to think about it. So she avoided naming it if at all possible.
She watched the way his eyes lit up as he explained the intricate details about vampires, the way he moved, the way his clothes fell about his figure. Then she began to wonder what he looked like underneath.
'Hairy, I would expect she said glancing at his bare arm. His sleeve was pulled up as he prepared to cast a spell. Of course he's hairy you stupid girl. he's a werewolf remember' then a separate voice in her head started up 'yeah, once a month he turns into a blood thirsty monster,' but the original voice brought reason to her thoughts, 'but he's so kind and gentle, and he's safe with the potion, the potion that I can brew for him. Plus he's sweet, and passionate.' Her heart gave a leap as she remembered the way that he had kissed her. She closed her eyes, to allow the growing feeling in her stomach to ebb away. When she opened them, he was still explaining most animatedly about something or other, he didn't really have her full attention on the lesson. She continued to survey his body, and her eyes fell unknowingly on his crotch. she allowed her eyes to become unfocused and she lost all concentration.
"Oww!" she let out an exclamation of pain as something sharp hit her leg, no kicked it, she looked up at Harry, who just rolled his eyes at her.
Then feeling sheepish she looked up at Lupin who she knew was staring straight at her, "Are you Ok Miss Granger, or is there something more interesting than my lesson. Can I have your full concentration now." He then moved away and began to write some notes on the board. Hermione looked down at her knees, and felt so shamed, did he know what she had been thinking or where she had been looking. She would have kicked herself if Harry hadn't already done it.
'Ok' she admitted to herself, 'so she did still like him,'
* * * * *
Remus finished the notes and sat down behind his desk, glad of the privacy it provided. He knew fine well where she had been looking and was increasingly aware of the embracement growing in the groin. He looked up at her, was it possible that she could like him, could love him, despite what had happened, he remembered the feeling of her against his lips and had to swallow hard.
He watched her amber eyes, reading the board, probably trying to make sense of the lessons work. They were so pretty, unbelievably pretty. His mind hazed over and he left into a dream world.
"PROFFESSOR LUPIN!!" he startled and came to, seeing that the class had emptied except for Harry and Ron, who had shouted his attention. He looked around and sighed, yes Hermione had gone too.
Harry smiled at him "Finding it hard to concentrate, the bell went 5 minutes ago and everyone left."
Lupin just smiled, "Erm, yes, well, I'm just feeling a little ill today, that's all. sorry."
Ron grinned, "Time o' the month is it moony!"
Lupin just nodded, "erm yeah, something like that."
* * * * *
"It's the way she's always smiling
That makes me think she never cries
I feel I'm loosing my defences
To the colour of her eyes"
*****
*Love.obscurers the mind*
*****
"If you could see me now
You would know just how
Hard I try
Not to wonder why"
*****
The summer passed way too quickly for Harry's liking, he hadn't heard from Hermione since that day she brewed the potion. it had worked fantastically, Lupin hadn't even needed to be locked up, plus, as he pointed out, it even tasted quite nice too.
Harry and Lupin were sat at platform nine and three quarters as the Hogwarts express pulled in. There were only a few people milling about the platform, which was probably because the train didn't depart for Hogwarts for another 2 hours.
Remus looked at Harry, and smiled weakly, Harry just beamed back at him, "Shall we go get some seats then, Harry." He asked. Harry just nodded and followed Remus to the train.
Harry thought for a moment about Remus, and couldn't help grinning; Sirius had been giving him a hard time about Hermione all summer. Harry couldn't help feeling that they made an excellent couple which when he pointed this out to Sirius he just spat the orange juice he had been drinking half way across the kitchen, and then burst into fits of laughter.
Lupin had been unusually quite for the rest of the Summer, and Harry knew better than to bring Hermione up now, so as they sat on the train, Harry got him talking about his school days and Harry's own parents.
*****Elsewhere*****
Hermione sat in the back of her parents' car on her way to kings cross; she stared out the window at the countryside moving past. She was brought back down to earth by a loud purr coming from the orange bundle in her lap.
She scowled out the window and thought about how much she wished she could just curl up instead of having to face Harry and Ron again. She rubbed her hand along Crookshanks back and decided she wasn't even going to think about it, she wasn't even going to bring it up. Pretend like it never happened she told herself, just pretend.
*****At kings cross*****
Hermione had kissed goodbye to her parents slinked through the barrier onto the platform and stood looking at the large scarlet train already in the platform, she had half an hour before it left so moved off to the toilets to change into her robes.
Looking into the mirror in the bath room, she sighed, "Hermione, you don't love him, it's just a little crush that's all, now come on. besides, he'd never want to love a girl like you. just forget about it." She tried to convince herself. "besides" she continued "there are expectations of you," she said as she pinned the head girl badge to her robes, a small smile creeping across her lips.
Grabbing her stuff she headed out to the train, before getting there she bumped into Harry, who seemed to have been going to the toilet as well. He smiled and offered to carry her trunk. Smiling back she handed it to him. She could tell that he was really trying his best to prevent that stupid grin. but she giggled to her self, he really was failing miserably.
They arrived at the train and he opened the door for her, by now the grin was in full flight, she walked passed him with a simple, "don't say anything" .
Once onboard Harry dumped her trunk with his and lead her to the rear most compartment on the train, they'd adopted the same one for the past few years and it was almost second nature to them.
Hermione opened the door, and let out a small squeak before slamming the door shut. Turning to Harry she brandished a fist, "is this some sort of a joke?" she demanded.
Harry lead her aside, and explained that Lupin was teaching at hogwarts again this year, and that he had come with himself, for the train.
Hermione sighed, "This is going to be a fun year," she announced exasperatedly, Harry's grin widened and there was a twinkle in his eye, "not like that," she snapped defensively, before taking a deep breath and walking into the compartment.
She smiled weakly at Remus, who just began to go red; Hermione sat at the opposite end to him and hoped that they'd soon be at Hogwarts. Harry sat next to Lupin and pointed something out to him; Remus looked shocked, adjusted himself and went back to looking out the window. Harry turned to Hermione who was also looking the other way, gave her a kick under the table to get her attention, and rolled his eyes. She shot him a glare and went back to staring out the window.
The compartment door slid open and in came Ron and Ginny. Ron paused as he eyed up Lupin and Hermione sat at opposite ends of the compartment, and scowled at Harry. Ginny blushed as she saw Harry's grin, and moved to sit next to Hermione.
"Budge up 'mione," she said, the twinkle in her eye as she knew she'd end up opposite Harry, she entered Hermione's bench in the cabin and Ron squeezed up next to her.
As Hermione was moving down to the end, she felt her leg catch that of professor Lupin's under the table, he looked up at her with his dark eyes, only this time they were filled with sorrow. She sat down quickly and turned to look out the window.
The rest of the journey went by quickly and uneventfully, Ron and Harry had explained to Ginny what was going on, as soon as Professor Lupin had fallen asleep, Hermione was bright red but did not divert her gaze from the window. Ginny had just giggled and went into a girly chat with Hermione which lasted for a short while, but little was disclosed due to present company.
*****Hogwarts-a few weeks later*****
Hermione soon realised that this was going to be very award, in DADA classes she worked hard, but did not draw attention to herself, she kept her head down and out the way, likewise he repaid the favour, by not asking her questions and they both avoided any eye contact.
And if they did catch each other's eyes, she simply smiled nicely and returned to her work. He would always just peer back at her seeming amazed before continuing with whatever it was he had been teaching his students.
Hermione would not hang around after the lessons with Harry and Ron, but instead leave quickly and go back to Gryffindor tower. Ron had finished with his disgusted ness once he realised that they weren't 'at it' any more as he had put it, and had quickly become friendly with Lupin again.
Only Harry seemed to be able to tell that there was something wrong, something that he kept hidden, but it defiantly bugged him.
* * * * *
One lesson Hermione found herself starring at the man she had tried so hard to avoid, she couldn't kid herself any longer, she had thought about him almost constantly since 'the event', as she had come to call it. It made her feel queasy and blush just to think about it. So she avoided naming it if at all possible.
She watched the way his eyes lit up as he explained the intricate details about vampires, the way he moved, the way his clothes fell about his figure. Then she began to wonder what he looked like underneath.
'Hairy, I would expect she said glancing at his bare arm. His sleeve was pulled up as he prepared to cast a spell. Of course he's hairy you stupid girl. he's a werewolf remember' then a separate voice in her head started up 'yeah, once a month he turns into a blood thirsty monster,' but the original voice brought reason to her thoughts, 'but he's so kind and gentle, and he's safe with the potion, the potion that I can brew for him. Plus he's sweet, and passionate.' Her heart gave a leap as she remembered the way that he had kissed her. She closed her eyes, to allow the growing feeling in her stomach to ebb away. When she opened them, he was still explaining most animatedly about something or other, he didn't really have her full attention on the lesson. She continued to survey his body, and her eyes fell unknowingly on his crotch. she allowed her eyes to become unfocused and she lost all concentration.
"Oww!" she let out an exclamation of pain as something sharp hit her leg, no kicked it, she looked up at Harry, who just rolled his eyes at her.
Then feeling sheepish she looked up at Lupin who she knew was staring straight at her, "Are you Ok Miss Granger, or is there something more interesting than my lesson. Can I have your full concentration now." He then moved away and began to write some notes on the board. Hermione looked down at her knees, and felt so shamed, did he know what she had been thinking or where she had been looking. She would have kicked herself if Harry hadn't already done it.
'Ok' she admitted to herself, 'so she did still like him,'
* * * * *
Remus finished the notes and sat down behind his desk, glad of the privacy it provided. He knew fine well where she had been looking and was increasingly aware of the embracement growing in the groin. He looked up at her, was it possible that she could like him, could love him, despite what had happened, he remembered the feeling of her against his lips and had to swallow hard.
He watched her amber eyes, reading the board, probably trying to make sense of the lessons work. They were so pretty, unbelievably pretty. His mind hazed over and he left into a dream world.
"PROFFESSOR LUPIN!!" he startled and came to, seeing that the class had emptied except for Harry and Ron, who had shouted his attention. He looked around and sighed, yes Hermione had gone too.
Harry smiled at him "Finding it hard to concentrate, the bell went 5 minutes ago and everyone left."
Lupin just smiled, "Erm, yes, well, I'm just feeling a little ill today, that's all. sorry."
Ron grinned, "Time o' the month is it moony!"
Lupin just nodded, "erm yeah, something like that."
* * * * *
"It's the way she's always smiling
That makes me think she never cries
I feel I'm loosing my defences
To the colour of her eyes"
*****